Flail sanding tool

ABSTRACT

A flail sanding tool suitable for use with a driver such as a portable drill or bench drill, the flail sanding tool assembly being suitable for work operations such as grinding, polishing, sanding, finishing and the like. The flail sanding tool provides a central shaft with a disk fixed at each end and a drive spindle at one end. The flail sanding tool provides a plurality of vertical tendons at the perimeter to capture and present abrasive/polishing elements to a work piece, such vertical tendons being permanently attached to the disk at one end but releasable from suitably shaped slots in the disk at the other end, for the purpose of loading and unloading the abrasive/polishing elements. Each vertical tendon is shaped in a way to provide an outward bias to ensure positive location when engaged in a retaining slot.

This invention is an improved flap sanding device with replaceable sanding tubes and other working elements, to be used in workshop machines such as a pedestal drill, a portable powered drill or similar tool, for example:

This invention provides an upper and lower circular metal plate, a central drive shaft, retaining wires, removable wires, a retaining cup washer and a drive spindle. The upper metal plate has a number of holes presented at equidistant intervals around the outer perimeter. For the purpose of this example six holes. The lower metal plate has a number of slots of a particular shape presented around the outer perimeter. For the purpose of this example six shaped slots. The shaped slots in the lower metal plate are open to the outer edge. The end of the shaped slot will align with the corresponding hole above in the upper metal plate. The upper end of the drive shaft presents a female thread. The lower end of the drive spindle has a male thread and the opposite end a plain shaft with a central locking nut between the two.

Both the upper and lower metal plates are permanently fixed at their centres to the drive shaft.

There are six retaining wires of a suitable tensile strength and of a particular shape so as to span the upper and lower metal plates and hold in place the sanding or interchangeable working elements. Each 2 retaining wires are fabricated from a single length of wire and have a V shape at the top end. When the open ends of the V are placed down through two of the holes in the upper metal plate, the V shaped upper end secures and positions the two open ends into their correct alignment. This process is repeated for the remaining wires. A retaining cup washer is then placed on top of the V shaped ends above the upper metal plate and the male threaded end of the drive spindle passed through the central hole in the washer and screwed into the female end of the drive shaft and tightened securely. This process holds the V shaped ends of the retaining wires firmly in place. The unthreaded shaft end of the drive spindle will engage the chuck of the driving tool.

The fabrication of the upper ends of the retaining wires allows the lower single ends of those wires to be presented to the rear and outwards from the lower metal plate. This allows the abrasive tubes, chosen elements or the additional wires to be easily fitted. The lower ends of the retaining wires can then be relocated into their respective shaped slots in the lower metal plate.

It is a simple process to release only the lower ends of the retaining wires to change to the chosen element.

This device when loaded with either abrasive tubes, or small cut to size sheets of leather, scouring material, fabric or abrasive paper, will achieve sanding, shaping, cleaning, burnishing or polishing, depending on the element used.

If abrasive tubes are the chosen elements to load into this device the design allows for each tube to rotate on its own retaining wire as the work piece is applied enabling all of the abrasive surface to be utilised. In the case of other single sheet elements, they can be removed, turned over and or around and refitted to fully utilise their surface. Alternatively the inner edge of a single sheet can be folded over and glued or stapled in place. The opening created by the fold allows the sheet to be fitted onto the retaining wire.

FIG. 1 shows a partially exploded pictorial view of a preferred example of the tool.

FIG. 2 shows an assembled pictorial view of a preferred example of the tool without the abrasive elements fitted.

FIG. 3 shows an assembled pictorial view the device with one of the wires disengaged from its retaining slot in the bottom plate.

FIG. 4 shows an assembled pictorial view with a cylindrical abrasive sleeve being loaded onto a disengaged wire.

FIG. 5 shows an assembled pictorial view with all cylindrical abrasive sleeves loaded.

FIG. 6 shows an assembled pictorial view with an alternative loading method using smaller abrasive sleeves.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative method of loading sheets of abrasive into ‘carriers’ ready to be loaded onto the wires of the tool.

FIG. 8 shows the carriers assembled onto the wires.

FIG. 9 shows a method of loading an abrasive sanding belt onto the wires.

FIG. 10 shows an alternative design for the retaining wires which carry the abrasive elements.

FIG. 11 shows an alternative method of loading abrasive sheets onto the retraining wires.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show examples of the invention.

REFERRING TO FIG. 1 The central drive shaft 3 has a female thread 4 in the upper end. The drive spindle 5 will be fixed into the drive shaft 3.

The retaining wires 6, 7 and 8 are of a specific tensile strength and shape, the uninstalled retaining wire 6 is an example. Installation of retaining wire 6 is achieved by passing the lower ends 9 and 10 down through the holes 11 and 12 so that the lower ends 9 and 10 engage into the shaped slots 13 and 14. The other retaining wires 7 and 8 are shown assembled into position in their respective shaped slots.

After assembling retaining wires 6. 7 and 8 down through the upper circular metal plate 1 the cup washer 15 is placed down onto the upper circular plate 1 and over the upper end of the retaining wires 6, 7 and 8.

The threaded end of the drive spindle 16 is then passed through the central hole 17 in the cup washer 15 and tightened down by way of the central nut 18 on the drive spindle 5.

The plain shaft end 19 of the drive spindle 5 will engage into the chuck of the driving tool.

REFERRING TO FIG. 2 This shows the device assembled with the cup washer 15 tightened down onto the upper ends of the retaining wires 6, 7 and 8 ( see FIG. 1) by way of the drive spindle 5.

The lower ends of the retaining wires 6, 7 and 8 have been located into their respective shaped slots 13 & 14 ( two of the six) showing the device without the abrasive tubes or chosen elements fitted.

REFERRING TO FIG. 3 Shows one end of retaining wire 6 having been released from its shaped slot 14 in the lower circular metal plate 2 ready for an abrasive tube or chosen element to be loaded. The front elevation of retaining wire 6 shows the approximate rearward angle 21 that is taken by the retaining wire 6 when it has its lower ends released from the shaped slot 14.

Side elevation of retaining wire 6 shows the approximate outward angle 23 the retaining wire 6 will achieve having been released from its shaped slot 14 in the lower circular metal plate 2 ready for an abrasive tube or chosen element to be loaded. When the lower end of retaining wire 6 is loaded and located into its shaped slot 14 the outward and rearward force caused by the tension in the retaining wire will ensure it is securely held in place. In addition the device is driven in a clockwise direction adding to the rearward force further enhancing the security of the lower end of the retaining wire 6 in the shaped slot 14.

REFERRING TO FIG. 4 Shows the abrasive tube 24 in position to be loaded onto retaining wire 6.

REFERRING TO FIG. 5 Shows the device loaded with six abrasive tubes 24 (one of the six). One tube is loaded onto each wire.

REFERRING TO FIG. 6 Shows the device loaded with 9 abrasive tubes 25 (one of the nine). This is achieved by using suitable width abrasive tubes. On the first row each tube is loaded over two retaining wires. On the second row every two alternate retaining wires and the third row a repeat of the first.

REFERRING TO FIG. 7 This is an inexpensive alternative and versatile method of using off the shelf materials. The six cut to size leather pieces 26 (one of the six) with press studs 27. The six leather pieces can be used on their own as burnishing or polishing elements, or can be used as a carrier for the cut to size abrasive sheets 28 or other chosen elements. The press studs are to locate and retain the abrasive sheets or working elements. Two holes 29 are punched into the inner edge of the abrasive sheet or working element so as to be located onto and held in place by the press studs when closed. The resulting loop 30 at the inner edge of the leather carrier is threaded onto one of the retaining wires and the process repeated for the other five.

REFERRING TO FIG. 8 Shows the leather pieces 26 with the abrasive or chosen elements 28 held in place by the press studs 27 mounted on the retaining wires ready for work.

REFERRING TO FIG. 9 Shows an off the shelf sanding belt 31 fitted to the device. Slits 32 are cut at six equidistant intervals around the belt and approximately 1 5mm in from the upper and lower edge and then fitted over the retaining wires.

REFERRING TO FIG. 10 Shows the lower circular metal plate 2 being identical to the upper circular metal plate I with alternative shaped retaining wires 33 (one of the six). The retaining wire 33 is in its open position 34 to receive the abrasive tube 24 and the hooked end of the retaining wire 35 to engage the retaining wire end 36 and secure the abrasive tube in place after loading.

REFERRING TO FIG. 11 Shows a sheet of abrasive folded at its centre and with punched holes 40 adjacent to the edges of the sheet. The retaining wires 6 are then passed through these holes to load the sheets into the tool.

Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that the generality of the preceding description is not to be superseded by the particularity of the attached drawings. Various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. 

1. A flail sanding tool suitable for use with a driver, the tool assembly being suitable for work operations such as grinding, polishing, sanding, finishing and the like, the flail sanding tool providing a central shaft positioning a disk at each end and a drive spindle at one end, and the flail sanding tool providing a plurality of vertical tendons at the perimeter of the disks to capture and present abrasive/polishing elements to a work piece, such vertical tendons being permanently attached to the disk at one end but releasable from the disk at the other end for the purpose of loading and unloading the abrasive/polishing elements, such tendons having a shape to provide an outward bias so as to assure a positive location in the disk at the releasable end.
 2. A flail sanding tool according to claim 1 wherein the flail sanding tool is suitable for use with a driver which includes a drilling machine including a motor, a drive spindle, and a drill chuck; the drive drum being operatively connectable to the drill chuck by the provided drive spindle.
 3. A flail sanding tool according to claim 1 where the abrasive/polishing elements may be tubular sleeves.
 4. A flail sanding tool according to claim 1 where the abrasive/polishing elements may be sheet materials. 